(1) Field of the Invention
Increasing attention is being given to methods for high speed orientation of nails, pills, machine screws, nuts, small arms munitions and the like. Recent inventors have evolved a plurality of rotating devices which centrifugally discharge articles to be counted from the edges of a rotating plane. Traditionally, these centrifugally distributed articles are forced through a separate stationary exit aperture and then counted in a separate orienting and counting mechanism.
The separate orienting and counting is time consuming, subject to jamming and breakdown and economically discouraging due to greater capital cost and space required for operation.
Noise is now a major consideration in feeding parts even at relatively slow speeds. Government regulations, company regulations, and soon labor union regulations will demand that only silent feeders be installed.
The purpose of the invention is the use of rotating rollers to propel the parts, rather than using rotating inner planes or vibrating members.